mommy's night out!

Or, more like Mommy's two days out!  I went with Amie's co-workers on a road trip to IKEA and the Jeffersonville Ohio Outlets and left my loves at home for a night and most of the next day.  We had a great time talking, laughing, and most importantly, shopping!  As you can tell, we were really successful based on how the Jeep looked at the end of the trip.  Poor Cara had to be squished with all of our packages in the back :)  What a great time!

 We were packed down!

I was so happy to come home to this cutie in her new aviators... she got lots of good stuff when Mommy went shopping :)

water bugs!

Amie and I decided to take the girls swimming at the Y for a preview to see how the summer might be.  The verdict is in:  lots of time at the pool this summer!  These two little girls had a blast and so did their mommies.  Excited for swimming season and to hang out at the Clubhouse a lot this summer!

my whole heart...

Someone new has taken over my Valentine's Day love this year...  Ellie Ann, Mommy loves you more than words can express!

She got a new teapot for Valentine's Day.  Definitely Mom and Dad's sweetheart :)

Had to share because it is too funny; Little Dog (my mom and dad's basset hound) thought that Mom and Dad's gift to me was obviously meant for her since it had her picture on it.  Mom did get me a new Valentine, but she put this in the bag, too.  Priceless.  Love that Little Dog!

snow day!

Ellie's first snow day!  (not that we got out in it at all :))  It was awesome just to have a day, feeling healthy, to spend with my best girl.

Such a big helper!

She is also becoming quite the chatterbox :)  Here are her two new favorite words:  ball and roar!

 

 

sick, sick, sick

January was probably the roughest month of my life... My grandpa passed away on the first, we left Florida early to come back for the visitation and funeral service, and then after only being back at school for one day, I came down with the worst virus I have ever had.  I had planned on taking off Tuesday and Thursday to be with my Grandma Sandie (helping clean up stuff, clean out closets, just spend time with her, etc.), but when I woke up on Tuesday, both Nick and I had really high fevers.  My mom came up and got Ellie (she was still on bereavement leave) and ended up keeping her all night.  Nick felt better on Wednesday, but I was still really sick, so I headed off to immediate care.  After my flu test came back negative, they sent me home with amoxicillin and told me it should be better in a few days.  The weekend came and went and my fever still had not gone down (it would break but then be right back up again).  I tried to go to class on Tuesday (a full week since being sick) and it was too much.  I didn't even make it half way through.  Finally, on Wednesday, my dad took me to another immediate care where I was diagnosed with pnemonia and bronchitis.  It was terrible!  I am so thankful that I am usually a very healthy person.  I missed a full two weeks at work, but thanks to my amazing student teacher and co-workers, I didn't have to worry about my classroom while I was so sick. 

I am also so thankful for the people who helped take care of Ellie.  I didn't leave the bed for nearly two weeks, so being a great mommy was out of the picture.  She was floating from house to house so that we could try to avoid getting her sick (which we did :)), and was so well taken care of.  Amie, Lisa, Mom, and Denise were life-savers while I was trying to get better and Nick was trying to take care of me.  Of course I didn't take any pictures during that crazy time, but here is one of my girls playing while I felt like I was on my death-bed!

And here is one of Ellie at Lisa's getting spoiled rotten with her new Princess chair:

Nan took her on the first day we were so sick with her bear coat :)

 

daddy's new job

I like love to make fun of my husband, but the truth is, I have one of the best.  He is such a caring and kind-hearted individual.  He definitely makes me a better person.  This is why I am so proud that he has patiently waited for a career opportunity, and the perfect one made itself present.  He is now the new Redevelopment Director for the Town of Clarksville and we are all so proud of him.  Even if this means that he will sacrifice our summer vacation while Ellie and I head out of town with the Kanes and Murrells, he knows that this is what is best for our family.  He is already doing a great job and we are so very proud of him and all that he does for us!  We love you Nick/Daddy!

blessed...

To have had all four of my grandparents until I was 26 years old.  My Grandpa Dave (Mom's dad) passed away on January 1st around 9 in the morning. He has had a multitude of health problems over the past few years and was confined to a wheelchair the last three.  He dealth with prostate cancer some years back and it came back this past summer.  This time, it spread quickly and ended up going to his lungs and bones.  It is never easy losing someone, but I know he is in a much better place now. 
I was lucky enough to have him be around for the first few months of Ellie's life, and she visited them at least weekly with me or my mom.  Here they are when Ellie was just a few weeks old:

As much as I hate funeral home services (for obvious reasons), it was amazing to see so many people that I hadn't seen since I was younger.  The support that was shown to my family still blows me away and we are so thankful for everyone in our lives.